Meet The 2026 UCF Knights: Countdown To Kickoff - No. 70 RaiShaun McHaney
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Welcome to UCF Knights on SI's countdown to kickoff!
In this series, we are going to introduce you to every single player on the 2026 UCF football roster so that you can know what to expect from them or even pinpoint the ones you want to follow throughout the coming season. We are going to go through the Knights' roster in reverse jersey-number order, with the day each player's entry is published corresponding to the number of days remaining until UCF's season-opener on Sep. 3 at 7 p.m. against Bethune-Cookman.
So, with 70 days to go, let's meet UCF's offensive lineman RaiShaun McHaney:
1. Who is RaiShaun McHaney?
Position: Offensive Lineman
Class: Redshirt Freshman
Height/Weight: 6-foot-8 / 270 pounds
Hometown: Indianapolis, Indiana
High School: Indianapolis Lutheran High School
Outside of the gridiron, Haney wants to become a pharmacist, according to his UCF Athletics profile page. He also started his high school career as a linebacker before transitioning to the offensive line after "a significant growth spurt."
Similar to several of his teammates, McHaney is not the only football player in his family. His younger brother, defensive lineman Cam McHaney, signed with Indiana out of IMG Academy in December and is set to begin his college football career in 2026.
2. What did he do last season?
Haney was part of the scout team, only seeing the field once in 2025 during the Knights' game against North Carolina A&T.
3. What role is he going to have in 2026?
Considering the experience already in the Knights' offensive line room, like Henry Tabansi, Owen Spell, Tyler Gibson, Brady Wayburn and Cooper Terpstra, McHaney seems most likely to remain on the scout team in 2026 as he continues to develop. Though, since he saw time in the Knights' game against an FCS opponent last season, he could see the field once more during the season-opener against Bethune-Cookman and perhaps a few more games now that he is not restricted by redshirt rules.
From a physicality standpoint, McHaney might be tied for the second-tallest player on the team at 6-foot-8, but he weighs in as one of the offensive line's lighter players at 270 pounds. While his weight does not preclude him from seeing some time on the offensive line in limited appearances in 2026, with his long frame serving as his most valuable physical asset, more development time with the scout team can give him the opportunity to train and bulk up to help him take full advantage of that frame.
Catch up on the rest of the list below:
No. 97 Josh Schell and Mason Denaberg
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Bryson Turner is a sports journalist who covers UCF Athletics. Turner has contributed to the Black and Gold Banneret, the home for UCF Athletics on SB Nation. He has called the Orlando area home since the age of 8 and received his bachelor's and master's degrees from UCF.
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